Data integrity and security are important aspects of computerized networks. This is especially true in computing environments, where users and resources are distributed over two or more physical locations. In such distributed networked environments, a premium is placed on the security mechanisms which dictate how users access attached network resources.
Various network security mechanisms have been developed which greatly enhance the overall security of Network Elements ("NEs") for users at all level across the network. The NEs can be switches, signal transfer points ("STPs"), mainframes, databases, or other similar resources and may be situated at great distances from the users. Typically, a user accesses the NEs through either a local area or wide area network. In some configurations, dial-up connections are also employed. In either case, the user must go through a series of authentication and authorization steps in order to gain access to a requested NE.
Local authentication mechanisms in the NEs may become unnecessary because of the availability of more sophisticated network authentication protocols for access control. In addition, NE local authentication, mechanisms may prove to be a burden for ordinary users as the number of NEs that are connected increases and the management of the different passwords on the different NEs becomes more difficult.
To overcome this difficulty, a user may use the same password for all NEs. When this is not possible due to different password management policies in the NEs, other methods may be employed. One common practice is to write down the passwords for easy access by the user and equally easy access by others. Ultimately, however, such methods may seriously compromise the security of the entire network.
Authentication mechanisms that are implemented in individual NEs, i.e., local authentication, have proven to be ineffective in networked environments. This is because the terminal used by a user to interact with the NEs may not be directly attached to the NEs locally. Consequently, all data communication between a user and an NE is subject to attacks on the connection between the user and the NE. Thus, user passwords for authentication purposes can be easily obtained, which breaks the security mechanisms in the NEs.
Furthermore, the local authentication mechanisms may prove to be a burden for ordinary users due to the requirement that multiple sets of user identifiers and passwords be remembered and used on different NEs respectively. This is partly because of the lack of uniform implementation of local authentication and difference in administration policies that are established in different types of NEs. Although these may be considered as desirable features for security, users tend to find various ways to overcome the inconvenience.
Typically, a user will use the same password for all NEs. When security policies make it difficult to do so, the management of the multiple passwords will become a nightmare for users. Posting or storing the passwords for easy access and retrieval seems to be the next natural move users normally take. The consequence is the compromise of security in the NEs.
To simply disable the local authentication mechanisms does not serve the purpose best. First, other local security mechanisms such as authorization may depend on them. Authorization mechanisms at the network server level can only perform to a limited degree at the NE level. Further access control to individual resources and information in an NE generally require and depend on local security mechanisms in the NE. Second, the diversity of NEs in a network makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to effectively and efficiently enforce access control directly from the network server. Third, for compatibility reasons and for smooth integration of network security in network server with local security mechanisms, it is desirable to make use of the local security mechanisms whenever possible.
Thus, what is needed is a network wide security system that can cope with security problems that local security mechanisms cannot effectively deal with.